KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Five tackles and three sacks in a win often grab attention.
And for Chiefs linebacker Justin Houston, his Week One performance against the Jacksonville Jaguars earned recognition from the league as the AFC Defensive Player of the Week.
The third-year pro’s three sacks in a game marked the third time in his career he’s accomplished the feat.
Other notable statistics for Houston, from the NFL news release:
• Houston joins Pro Football Hall of Famer Derrick Thomas (six on September 6, 1998) and Vonnie Holliday (three on September 7, 2003) as the only players in franchise history with at least three sacks on Kickoff Weekend.
• Houston’s three sacks tied for an NFL-high and were the best in the AFC in Week 1.
• Since 2012, Houston ranks fourth in the AFC with 13 sacks, trailing only J.J. Watt (20.5), Von Miller (18.5) and Cameron Wake (17.5).
• In his third season from Georgia, this is Houston’s first career Defensive Player of the Week Award.
• Houston is the first Chiefs linebacker to win Defensive Player of the Week since Derrick Johnson in 2011 (Week 8).
Houston’s award didn’t go unrecognized by coach Andy Reid on Wednesday.
Speaking to reporters during his media session, Reid said he was proud of Houston and complimented his modesty.
“That’s a tribute to him, he did a great job with that,” coach Andy Reid said. “The best thing – and I mentioned this to the team – the best thing that he did was he complimented his teammates. That’s a big deal and he gets it; he understands it.”
